TongTong
Sign in

在意 (zài yì) — to care about; to mind

Definition

Used for personal feelings about something abstract like image, reputation, or what others say. Often appears in negative advice (别太〜); weaker than 介意 ('be offended by') and more about caring than taking offense.

verb
to care aboutto mind
Easily confused

Examples

  • 在意。
    Tā hěn zài yì zhè cì kǎo shì de jié guǒ.
    He cares a lot about the result of this exam.
  • 在意。
    Tā fēi cháng zài yì zì jǐ de xíng xiàng.
    She really minds her own image.
  • 在意。
    Bié tài zài yì tā shuō de huà.
    Don't care too much about what he said.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

在zàibe at
意yìmind

在意 combines 在 “at” with 意 “mind”, giving the sense of keeping something on one’s mind.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

Open 在 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 意 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Emotions & Feelings5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.